New Zealand Opera

14/10/2026

We're delighted that all three Ōtautahi performances of The Pearl Fishers at the Isaac Theatre Royal have now sold out!

Thank you to everyone joining us for this special season, we can't wait to welcome you to the theatre.

13/10/2026

At this time tomorrow night, The Pearl Fishers opens in Ōtautahi Christchurch ✨

Join us an hour before each performance at the Isaac Theatre Royal for a pre-show talk with special insights into the rehearsal process and production!

Pre-show talk times and locations are…
- Wed 14 Oct. 6.30pm in the Grand Circle foyer, Level 2
- Friday 16 Oct, 6.30pm in the Gloucester Room, Level 1
- Sunday 18 Oct, 1.30pm also in the Gloucester Room, Level 1

We’ll see you there 👋

12/10/2026

"I just knew I would be a singer. It was a fact of my life."

In this beautiful interview with E-Tangata, soprano Madison Nonoa reflects on family and her path to the international opera stage. Read it here: https://loom.ly/nJ02hrI

The Pearl Fishers opens in Ōtautahi this week!

📅 Wed 14 & Fri 16 October, 7.30pm
📅 Sun 18 October, 2.30pm
📍 Isaac Theatre Royal, Ōtautahi Christchurch
Final tickets: https://loom.ly/XVWopaI

“I was in all the orchestras, all the choirs, all the barbershops, everything. I think it's quite cool that I never went through any period when I was thinking: ‘What would I like to be when I grow up?’” — Soprano Madison Nonoa, who stars in NZ Opera’s ‘The Pearl Fishers’.

10/10/2026

Are you interested in singing with The Freemasons Foundation NZ Opera Chorus next year?

We're excited to announce our chorus audition dates, and registrations are now open!

Visit this link for more information and to register now. We'd love to hear from you: https://loom.ly/ERB99r4

Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland:
📅 Tue 24 & Thu 26 November
📍 NZ Opera Studio Parnell

Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington:
📅 Fri 4 & Sat 5 December
📍 St Andrew's on The Terrace

Ōtautahi Christchurch:
📅 Sun 6 December
📍 The Piano, 156 Armagh Streets

09/10/2026

New Zealand Opera’s General Director, Brad Cohen, is keen to hear and meet singers with a New Zealand connection who are currently working professionally or undertaking postgraduate study in the UK and Europe.

The company will be holding principal auditions in Vienna on Wednesday 11 November, and in London on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November.

If you hold New Zealand citizenship or residency, or have the right to work in New Zealand, please register your interest by emailing Andari Anggamulia at [email protected] with the following details:

• Full name
• Voice type
• Email address
• Mobile number
• Current location (home base)
• Date of birth
• Professional CV including a recent headshot

Applications close at 8pm (UK time) on Sunday 18 October, and will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

08/10/2026

Rehearsals are buzzing as orchestra, chorus and soloists come together in full force. We're counting down the days now – our Ōtautahi opening night is less than a week away!

Swipe through to meet the singers in our excellent Christchurch Kōrihi, joining us for our performances at the Isaac Theatre Royal.

NZ Opera presents The Pearl Fishers
📅 14 & 16 October, 7.30pm
📅 18 October, 2:30pm
📍 Isaac Theatre Royal, Ōtautahi Christchurch

07/10/2026

It's such a pleasure to be back at the beautiful Isaac Theatre Royal in Ōtautahi Christchurch, as we make our final preparations for The Pearl Fishers to open next week.

Our sincere thanks to the Isaac Theatre Royal for their warm welcome, and longstanding support over the years. We always enjoy returning to this theatre, one of New Zealand's historic arts venues, as our Canterbury home. We're excited to share another unforgettable season together in the heart of Ōtautahi!

"The Isaac Theatre Royal is thrilled to welcome NZ Opera back on to our stage 👑 tickets are selling fast and we cannot wait to see you there!"

05/10/2026

The Pearl Fishers has arrived in Ōtautahi!

Everyone is settling in to our new home at the Isaac Theatre Royal, and we're thrilled to be joined by the excellent Christchurch Symphony Orchestra as we prepare for our Christchurch performances, coming up next week!

A huge thank you to New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) and Pub Charity Limited for their support of CSO as part of The Pearl Fishers.

📅 14, 16 & 18 October
📍Isaac Theatre Royal Ōtautahi Christchurch

05/10/2026

We're proud to see The Pearl Fishers reviewed in BusinessDesk – it's wonderful to see opera featured in business media.

"NZ Opera's take on The Pearl Fishers invites the audience to ask how far we might go for wealth, power and control."

Read their excellent review here: https://loom.ly/Tk-xYtc

It’s 2020-something, on a tropical island, somewhere. At The White Pearl Resort & Spa, management of Pêcheur & Perle gather for an...

02/10/2026

Last weekend, 36 rangatahi and whānau from kura Māori across Te Taitokerau and Tāmaki Makaurau came together for Korokī Te Manu, our annual wānanga supporting rangatahi Māori to explore their voices, creativity and pathways within the performing arts.

Hosted at Hoani Waititi Marae, tauira spent the weekend learning, creating and connecting through whakawhanaungatanga, waiata, theatre and haka theatre. They took part in songwriting with Majic Paora, Haka Theatre with Hawaiki TŪ, and theatre and stage presence with Miriama McDowell.

The wānanga concluded behind the scenes at Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre where they toured the set and met Stage Manager Ashley Mardon and the wider stage team, before tauira experienced New Zealand Opera’s The Pearl Fishers – for most, their first full-scale opera.

Korokī Te Manu places te ao Māori at the centre, affirming that the reo, whakapapa, mātauranga and creativity rangatahi already carry belong across the performing arts.

He mihi nui ki a koutou ngā kura, ngā whānau, ngā ringatoi, me te haukāinga, and to Foundation North for making this kaupapa possible.

Kia korokī tonu ngā reo o ngā manu pīrere o te wao, hei oranga mō āpōpō.